Topic: Infectious psychoses in children. Childhood psychosis: causes, symptoms, treatment of mental disorders
Mental health is a very sensitive topic. Clinical manifestations of mental disorders depend on the age of the child and the influence of certain factors. Often, due to fear for future changes in their own life, parents do not want to notice some problems with the psyche of their child.
Many people are afraid to catch the sidelong glances of their neighbors, feel the pity of their friends, or change their usual life order. But the child has the right to qualified timely assistance a doctor who will help alleviate his condition, and in the early stages of certain diseases, cure a mental disorder of one spectrum or another.
One of the complex mental illnesses is childhood psychosis. This disease is understood as an acute condition of a child or a teenager, which manifests itself in his incorrect perception of reality, his inability to distinguish the real from the imaginary, and his inability to really understand what is happening.
Features of childhood psychoses
Mental disorders and psychoses in children are not diagnosed as often as in adult men and women. Mental disorders come in different types and forms, but no matter how the disorder manifests itself, no matter what symptoms the disease has, psychosis significantly complicates the life of the child and his parents, prevents him from thinking correctly, controlling actions, and building adequate parallels in relation to established social norms.
Childhood psychotic disorders are characterized by:
Childhood psychosis It has different forms and manifestations, therefore it is difficult to diagnose and treat.
Why are children susceptible to mental disorders?
Development mental disorders In children, multiple causes contribute. Psychiatrists identify whole groups of factors:
The most important provoking factor is a genetic predisposition to mental disorders. Other reasons include:
To date, all possible causes have not been fully studied, but studies have confirmed that children with schizophrenia almost always have signs of organic brain disorders, and patients with autism are often diagnosed with cerebral insufficiency, which is explained by hereditary causes or injuries during childbirth .
Psychosis in young children can occur due to parental divorce.
Thus, children are at risk:
Types of psychotic disorders among children
Children's mental illnesses are divided according to certain criteria. Depending on age, there are:
The first type includes patients with mental disorders of infancy (up to one year), preschool (from 2 to 6 years) and early school age (from 6-8). The second type includes patients of pre-adolescence (8-11) and adolescence (12-15).
Depending on the cause of the disease, psychosis can be:
Depending on the type of course, psychoses can be:
A type of psychotic disorder is affective disorder. Depending on the nature of the course and symptoms of affect disorders, there are:
Symptoms depending on the form of failure
Different symptoms of mental illness are justified by different forms of the disease. Common symptoms of the disease are:
Psychogenic shock often occurs in children and adolescents. Reactive psychosis occurs as a result of a previous psychological trauma.
This form of psychosis has signs and symptoms that distinguish it from other mental spectrum disorders in children:
At an early age, mental health problems manifest themselves in autistic behavior in the child. The baby does not smile or in any way show joy on his face. Up to a year, the disorder is detected in the absence of humming, babbling, and clapping. The baby does not react to objects, people, or parents.
Age crises, during which children are most susceptible to mental disorders from 3 to 4 years, from 5 to 7, from 12 to 18 years.
Early mental disorders manifest themselves in:
Later ages up to adolescence
Mental problems in a 5-year-old child should worry parents if the child loses already acquired skills, communicates little, does not want to play role-playing games, and does not take care of his appearance.
At the age of 7, the child becomes mentally unstable, he has an appetite disorder, unnecessary fears appear, his performance decreases, and rapid fatigue appears.
At the age of 12-18, parents need to pay attention to their teenager if he or she develops:
More painful signs psychosis in older children manifests itself in:
Diagnostic criteria and methods
Despite the proposed list of signs of psychosis, no parent can definitely and accurately diagnose it on their own. First of all, parents should take their child to a psychotherapist. But even after the first appointment with a professional, it is too early to talk about mental personality disorders. Little patient The following doctors should examine:
Sometimes the patient is admitted to a hospital for examination and necessary procedures and analyses.
Providing professional assistance
Short-term attacks of psychosis in a child disappear immediately after their cause disappears. More severe diseases require long-term therapy, often in an inpatient hospital setting. Specialists use the same drugs to treat childhood psychosis as for adults, only in appropriate doses.
Treatment of psychoses and psychotic spectrum disorders in children involves:
If parents were able to identify a mental disorder in their child in time, then several consultations with a psychiatrist or psychologist are usually sufficient to improve the condition. But there are cases that require long-term treatment and being under the supervision of doctors.
Psychological failure in a child, which is associated with his physical condition, are cured immediately after the disappearance of the underlying disease. If the illness was provoked by a stressful situation experienced, then even after the condition improves, the baby requires special treatment and consultations with a psychotherapist.
IN extreme cases In cases of severe aggression, the baby may be prescribed tranquilizers. But for the treatment of children, the use of severe psychotropic drugs used only in extreme cases.
In most cases, psychoses suffered in childhood do not return in childhood. adult life in the absence of provoking situations. Parents of recovering children must fully adhere to the daily routine, do not forget about daily walks, a balanced diet and, if necessary, take care of taking medications in a timely manner.
The baby cannot be left unattended. At the slightest violations his mental state, it is necessary to seek help from a specialist who will help him cope with the problem that has arisen.
To treat and avoid consequences for the child’s psyche in the future, it is necessary to follow all recommendations of specialists.
Every parent concerned about the mental health of their child should remember:
Love and care are what any person needs, especially a small and defenseless one.
Neuroses in children: classification, causes, symptoms and help for the child
Neuroses are classified in medicine as a reversible dysfunctional state of the nervous system, provoked by experiences, unstable emotions, chronic fatigue and other factors. This diagnosis is often made in adult patients, which is not surprising in modern conditions vanity, turmoil, problems and troubles. But doctors are alarmed by the fact that neurosis has become “younger” - more and more often children with symptoms of this disease are being brought to specialists.
Classification of neuroses in childhood
Doctors differentiate several types of neuroses that can manifest themselves in childhood. Each of them has its own characteristics, is distinguished by individual characteristics and must be subjected to professional treatment.
Anxiety (neuroses of fears)
Anxiety is paroxysmal in nature - it occurs only in certain situations. Preschoolers are very often afraid of the dark, this anxiety can also be intensified by their parents - young children are frightened by “a woman, a black old woman.” An anxiety attack occurs only before sleep at night; during the rest of the day there are no manifestations of fear neurosis.
Jr school age is exposed to fear of the teacher, a new group of children, bad grades. According to statistics, this type childhood neurosis is more often diagnosed in those children who did not attend kindergarten and from home environment We immediately found ourselves in a large school community with its own rules and responsibilities.
note: fear neurosis in this case is manifested not only by stiffness, tears and whims, but also by active resistance to the onset of the “X-hour” - children run away from home, skip classes, and persistent lies appear.
Childhood obsessive-compulsive disorder
Neurosis of this type manifests itself in childhood involuntary movements that are completely uncontrollable - for example, flinching, blinking one or both eyes, sniffling, flip flop necks, slapping palms on knees or a table, and more. With obsessive-compulsive neurosis, nervous tics may occur, but they are characteristic only during negative/positive emotional outbursts.
The category of obsessive states also includes phobic neurosis - this is a condition in which a child develops a fear of being called to the blackboard at school, a teacher, visiting a doctor, or a fear of closed spaces, heights or depths. Very dangerous condition When a child suffers from a phobic neurosis, and parents perceive this neurosis as a whim - reproaches and ridicule can lead to nervous breakdowns.
A specialist talks in more detail about obsessive neuroses:
Depressive psychosis
Depressive psychosis is more common in children during adolescence and has very characteristic symptoms:
A psychologist talks about ways to combat depression in teenagers:
Hysterical neurosis
The well-known tantrums of young children in the form of falling to the floor, kicking their feet on the floor, screaming and crying are a manifestation of hysterical neurosis. This condition is typical for preschool children and may first appear at the age of 2 years.
Childhood neurosis, manifested by irritability, poor appetite, sleep disturbance and restlessness, doctors classify it as neurasthenia, or asthenic neurosis.
note: this type of reversible disorder in question occurs due to excessive load at school, kindergarten or in additional classes.
Hypochondriacal neurosis
Hypochondriacs are suspicious people who doubt everything. A similar name for neurosis suggests that children experience suspiciousness towards themselves, their mental and physical abilities, and health. Patients experience great fear about identifying any complex, life-threatening disease.
Stuttering of neurotic etiology
Neurotic stuttering can occur between the ages of 2 and 5 years—the period when a child’s speech is developing. It is noteworthy that stuttering is more common neurotic etiology diagnosed in boys and can be caused by excessive mental stress.
About the causes of stuttering and correction methods - in the video review:
They are also more common in boys and can be caused not only mental factor, but also diseases. For example, with long-term conjunctivitis, a habit of rubbing your eyes hard appears. The disease is eventually cured, but the habit remains - a persistent neurotic tic will be diagnosed. The same may apply to constant “sniffling” of the nose or dry coughing.
Such movements of the same type do not cause discomfort in ordinary life child, but can be combined with enuresis (bedwetting).
Sleep disorders of neurotic etiology
The causes of such neurosis have not yet been clarified, but it is assumed that sleep disturbances of a neurotic nature may be caused by sleepwalking, talking in sleep, restless sleep With frequent awakenings. These same signs are also symptoms of sleep disorder neurosis.
Neuroses in children preschool age may be purely physiological in nature:
Doctors say that neuroses accompanied by enuresis and/or encopresis are caused by overly strict upbringing and great demands from parents.
The pediatrician talks about methods of treating enuresis:
Pathological actions of a habitual nature
We are talking about biting fingertips, biting nails, pulling out hair, rocking the body with rhythmic movements. This type of neurosis in children is diagnosed before the age of 2 and is very rarely recorded at an older age.
Causes of childhood neuroses
It is believed that the main reasons for the development of neuroses in childhood lie in the family, in the relationship between the child and his parents. The following factors are identified that can provoke the formation of stable childhood neurosis:
note: the listed factors are very conditional. The fact is that for each child the concepts of “psychological impact, psychotrauma” have an individual emotional coloring. For example, many boys and girls will not even pay attention if their parents raise their voices at them, and some children begin to experience panic fear of their own mothers/fathers.
The main causes of neuroses in children:
Pathogenesis of neuroses in children and adolescents:
In no case should you blame a child for having a neurosis of any kind - it is not his fault; you should look for the reason in the family, specifically in the parents.
note: children with a pronounced “I” are more susceptible to the appearance of neuroses, who from an early age can have their own opinion, they are independent and do not tolerate even a hint of dictate from their parents. Parents perceive such behavior and self-expression of the child as stubbornness and whims, they try to influence with force - this is a direct path to neuroses.
Neurosis is considered a reversible process, but it is still a disease - treatment must be carried out at a professional level. Doctors who deal with the problem of childhood neuroses are qualified as psychotherapists and use hypnotherapy, play sessions, treatment with fairy tales, and homeopathy in their work. But first of all, you need to restore order in the family, establish a relationship between the child and the parents.
Very rarely, neuroses in childhood require the prescription of specific medications; usually a competent specialist will find an option for providing assistance at the level of psycho-emotional correction.
As a rule, the results of treatment of childhood neuroses will only be achieved if not only the child, but also his parents go to see a psychotherapist. Healing a child from neuroses will be facilitated by:
- drawing up a clear daily routine and following the recommended regime;
- physical education – often it is sport that helps bring a child out of a neurotic state;
- frequent walks in the fresh air;
- spending free time not in front of the computer or TV, but in communication with parents or friends.
- born with a long anhydrous interval;
- with extremely low body weight;
- with congenital with developmental defects and trauma with integrity violation skin;
- with intrauterine infection;
- with respiratory distress syndrome and pulmonary edema;
- with catheterization of the central and umbilical veins;
- the presence of gestosis and numerous abortions maternal history;
- the presence of bacterial vaginosis in the mother during pregnancy and childbirth, as well as detection of B hemolytic streptococcus;
- rapid fetal heart rate and lack of pathological changes in the mother’s body (fever, decreased blood pressure, blood loss);
- presence of accompanying bacterial diseases in the mother (pyelonephritis).
Very effective in treating neuroses childhood hippotherapy (horse riding), dolphin therapy, art therapy - in general, any non-traditional methods of correcting the psycho-emotional state of a child.
note: It is very important that parents also take the path of treatment - in case of selecting therapy for a child, they need to take into account the mistakes of the parents and try to level out the stressful situation in the family. Only through joint work of parents/psychotherapist/child can good results be achieved.
Neuroses of childhood are considered whims, self-indulgence and character traits. In fact, this reversible condition can worsen and over time develop into serious problems with the psycho-emotional state. Patients of neurologists often admit that in childhood they often experienced fears, were embarrassed by large companies and preferred solitude. To similar problems did not arise in your child, it is worth making every effort to professionally overcome childhood neuroses. And no matter how trivial it may sound, only moderate love, the desire to understand the baby and the willingness to come to his aid in difficult times can lead to a complete cure.
To understand how you can help your child, and, most importantly, to be able to recognize the signs of neurosis in time, we recommend watching this video review. A child and adolescent psychologist with 10 years of experience, Candidate of Psychological Sciences Anton Sorin talks about neuroses:
Tsygankova Yana Aleksandrovna, medical observer, therapist of the highest qualification category.
Symptoms of sepsis in children
Sepsis is one of the most terrible diseases. In children, it most often occurs during the neonatal period and is characterized by a lightning-fast course. One of the main causes of systemic syndrome inflammatory reaction is an imperfection and weakening of the immune system. In everyday life, this disease is usually called “blood poisoning”, since the body is poisoned by pathogenic organisms and their toxins. In this article we will talk in detail about what sepsis symptoms are in children and the causes of their occurrence. pathological process in organism.
Sepsis is a generalized inflammatory reaction of the body with an acyclic course. In most cases, the cause of the disease is opportunistic microorganisms. When a septic focus forms in the body, fast development systemic inflammatory response (SIR), which is a nonspecific immune response in response to endogenous or exogenous factors. In some cases, the immune response may be insufficient or incorrect to enter the internal environment pathogen organism. One way or another, the child’s body loses the ability to fully protect itself from a generalized infection.
Classification of sepsis
Blood poisoning is usually divided according to time and conditions of development into: neonatal (early, late), hospital-acquired, community-acquired and immunodeficiency states. By entrance gate infections: pulmonary, rhinoconjunctival, nasopharyngeal, ear, skin, intestinal, umbilical, pulmonary, abdominal and occurring after venous catheterization. According to clinical manifestations, this disease can occur in two forms: with septicopyemia and septicemia.
Cause of sepsis
Systemic inflammatory response syndrome most often develops in children who were born prematurely or with extremely low body weight. In a newborn baby the immune system underdeveloped and unable to fully protect the baby. In the first few months of a child’s life, compensation of immunoglobulins is carried out due to mother's milk. Thus, early artificial feeding is a predisposing factor to the development of sepsis.
People are at high risk of contracting sepsis infants who are undergoing treatment in a hospital setting. A newborn can become infected when passing through the mother's birth canal or through contact with infected people or things. Also, do not forget that sepsis in children can develop as a result of intrauterine infection.
At risk of developing neonatal sepsis children included:
At an older age, the cause of illness in a child may be a generalized infection by bacterial, viral or fungal infections. There are frequent cases when local foci of infection lead to sepsis.
This scenario is possible with pyelonephritis, meningococcus and pneumonia caused by bacteria.
People who are asymptomatic carriers pose a greater danger pathogenic microorganisms. Some infectious diseases may be complicated by sepsis. In this case, microbes and released toxins from a local focus are spread throughout the body through the blood. The circulation of pathogenic microorganisms and their metabolic products in the blood leads to the formation of new foci of infection. If in this case adequate therapy is not provided, the disease will develop into the following form and will lead to multiple organ failure and death. The development of purulent-inflammatory processes can be caused by about three dozen microorganisms. On this moment Sepsis is increasingly caused by opportunistic bacteria.
There are no pathognomonic symptoms of sepsis in children. As you have already noticed, this disease has different forms and therefore clinical manifestations can be very diverse.
Typical symptoms of sepsis in children:
- Are common:
- Change in body temperature. There is an increase in body temperature to febrile levels with fever and chills. In patients with sepsis, there are 2 types of fever: remitting (fluctuation in daily temperature by 2 0 C) and wavy (a high temperature is observed and begins to subside after identification and drainage of foci of infection). Remitting fever is observed with septicemia, and wave-like changes are characteristic of septicopyemia. If a patient's sepsis lasts long enough, exhaustion occurs and body temperature drops.
- Weakness and drowsiness.
- Aversion to food, dry and coated tongue, nausea, vomiting, and in some cases diarrhea.
- Neuropsychiatric disorders: apathy, psychosis and confusion.
- Redness of the face gives way to pallor, yellowness and sallow skin. A quarter of patients have yellowness of the sclera.
- The color of the skin becomes marbled. Changes in skin color occur due to impaired blood circulation.
- Minor hemorrhages and purulent lesions appear on the skin and mucous membranes.
- Damage to the gastrointestinal tract:
- Hepato-lienal syndrome.
- Absence of peristaltic sounds, which indicate paralytic intestinal obstruction.
- Respiratory failure:
- Increase in quantity breathing movements, tachycardia and increased blood pressure, possible respiratory arrest.
- What happens at the primary site of sepsis? Even before complications develop, granulations are observed at the site of the primary lesion, which begin to bleed when touched. The wound discharge is purulent or putrefactive in nature. The tissue around the focus of sepsis in a child acquires a pale tint. If the purulent-inflammatory process is caused by an aerobic infection, then the localization of the process is very easy to determine. With anaerobic sepsis, infection spreads very quickly through adipose tissue.
- hemodynamic support with vasopressins and glucocorticoids;
- sanitization of the source of infection;
- antibiotic therapy with macrolides and cephalosporins;
- respiratory support;
- correction of metabolic disorders;
- removal of endotoxins from the body;
- correction of hemostasis.
Treatment of sepsis in children is based on primary and basic therapy. Primary therapeutic measures aimed at stabilizing the patient’s condition and performing diagnostic measures. The child must be treated in compliance with the following points:
At the first signs of sepsis in children, you should immediately seek help from a doctor. Treatment of childhood sepsis is carried out in a hospital setting because it carries serious threat for the life of the patient. When treating sepsis, consultation with highly specialized doctors and a pharmacologist is often required to select further treatment tactics, as well as to minimize the manifestations and consequences of sepsis.
Preventive actions
When receiving injuries with a violation of the integrity of the skin, in order to prevent the development of a generalized purulent-inflammatory infection, it is necessary to carry out primary treatment wound surface followed by local or general treatment. Foci of local infection are subject to surgical intervention.
Reactive psychosis– a short-term mental disorder that occurs in response to an intense traumatic situation. Clinical manifestations can vary greatly; they are characterized by disturbances in the perception of the world, inappropriate behavior, the development of psychosis against the background of acute stress, the reflection of stress in the picture of a mental disorder, and the completion of psychosis after the disappearance of traumatic circumstances. Symptoms of reactive psychosis usually appear soon after mental trauma and last from several hours to several months. The diagnosis is made based on history and clinical manifestations. Treatment is pharmacotherapy; after recovery from the psychotic state, psychotherapy.
Reactive psychosis (psychogeny) is an acute mental disorder that occurs during severe stress, characterized by a disturbance in worldview and disorganization of behavior. It is a temporary, completely reversible condition. Reactive psychosis is similar to other psychoses, but differs from them in greater variability clinical picture, variability of symptoms and high affective intensity. Another feature of reactive psychosis is the dependence of the course of the disease on the resolution of the traumatic situation. If unfavorable circumstances persist, there is a tendency to a protracted course; when stress is eliminated, it is usually observed fast recovery. Treatment of reactive psychoses is carried out by specialists in the field of psychiatry.
Causes and classification of reactive psychoses
The cause of the development of psychogenics is usually a situation that poses a threat to the patient’s life and well-being or is of particular significance for some reason related to the beliefs, character traits and living conditions of the patient. Reactive psychoses can occur during accidents, natural disasters, military operations, losses, bankruptcy, threat of legal liability and other similar circumstances.
The severity and characteristics of the course of reactive psychosis depend on the personal significance of the traumatic situation, as well as on the characteristics of the patient’s character and his psychological constitution. Such conditions are more often diagnosed in patients with hysterical psychopathy, paranoid psychopathy, borderline personality disorder and other similar disorders. The likelihood of developing reactive psychosis increases after traumatic brain injury, mental or physical fatigue, insomnia, prolonged alcohol intake, severe infectious and somatic diseases. Especially dangerous periods life are puberty and menopause.
There are two large groups of reactive psychoses: prolonged psychoses and acute reactive states. The duration of acute reactive states ranges from several minutes to several days, the duration of protracted reactive psychoses - from several days to several months. Acute reactive states include reactive stupor (affectogenic stupor) and reactive excitation (fugiform reaction). Protracted psychoses include hysterical reactive psychoses, reactive paranoid and reactive depression.
Protracted reactive psychoses
Hysterical reactive psychoses
Within the framework of hysterical reactive psychoses, hysterical twilight stupefaction (Ganzer syndrome), pseudodementia, wildness syndrome, delusional fantasy syndrome and puerilism are considered.
Ganser syndrome called reactive psychosis, accompanied by a narrowing of consciousness and pronounced affective disorders: anxiety, foolishness, emotional lability. Patients quickly move from crying to laughter, from joy to despair. Some patients suffering from reactive psychosis experience visual hallucinations. Productive contact is impossible, since patients understand speech addressed to them, but answer questions incorrectly (“mimic speech”). Orientation in place and time is impaired; patients often do not recognize people they know.
Wernicke's pseudodementia– reactive psychosis, reminiscent of dementia. Orientation in place, time and one’s own personality is disturbed, and these violations are of a deliberately pronounced nature. The patient says obvious absurdities (for example, to the question “how many eyes do you have?” he answers “four”), makes gross mistakes when performing the simplest tasks (for example, tries to put shoes on his hands instead of on his feet), while his answers and actions always correspond to the given topic. Confusion is observed, affective disorders are possible. Reactive psychosis lasts from 1 to 8 weeks.
Puerilism– psychogenia, in which the patient’s behavior becomes deliberately childish. A patient with reactive psychosis talks like Small child, lisps, plays with toys, cries, is capricious, calls others aunts and uncles, cannot answer simple questions or answers them from the position of a child. Facial expressions, movements, intonations and peculiarities of phrase construction in this reactive psychosis resemble those in preschool children. Some “adult” skills, such as applying makeup or lighting a pipe, are found to be retained.
Feral syndrome– reactive psychosis, in which the patient’s behavior resembles the behavior of an animal. Appears in the background strong fear. The patient shows aggressiveness, growls, runs on all fours, sniffs objects, takes food from the plate with his hands rather than with a spoon or fork. The syndrome of delusional fantasies is a reactive psychosis that develops against a background of severe anxiety and is accompanied by the formation of delusional ideas about one’s own greatness, genius, extraordinary abilities or incredible wealth.
Reactive paranoid– reactive psychosis, which occurs when living conditions change, with a lack of productive contacts with other people, in an environment that poses a real threat or seems frightening, dangerous and incomprehensible to the patient. This group of reactive psychoses includes reactive paranoid proper, reactive paranoia and induced delusions. Reactive paranoid and reactive paranoia develop in conditions of imprisonment and captivity. They can be observed when moving from a small village to a huge metropolis. Sometimes such reactive psychoses occur in deaf people who cannot read lips and find themselves surrounded by people who do not speak sign language. The risk of development increases with lack of sleep.
The onset of reactive psychosis is preceded by severe anxiety. Patients feel restless and sense “impending disaster.” Against the background of affective disorders, hallucinations appear and delusions develop special significance, stalking or relationships. Consciousness is narrowed. Delirium reflects a traumatic situation. Patients suffering from reactive psychosis try to run away and hide, beg for mercy, or become detached, humble and doomedly await the onset of a tragic outcome. Some patients attempt suicide in an attempt to “escape punishment.” Reactive psychosis ends after 1-5 weeks; after recovery from psychosis, asthenia occurs.
Jet Paranoia accompanied by the formation of paranoid or overvalued ideas, limited by the framework of the traumatic situation. Ideas of invention or jealousy may develop. Some patients with reactive psychosis become convinced that serious illness. Highly valuable ideas are specific, clearly related to real circumstances. In situations not associated with highly valuable ideas, the patient’s behavior is adequate or close to adequate. Affective disturbances are observed, marked anxiety, tension and suspicion are noted.
Induced delirium– reactive psychosis, provoked by close communication with a mentally ill person. Usually, close relatives who are emotionally attached to the patient and living with him in the same area suffer. Predisposing factors are the high authority of the “inducer”, as well as passivity, intellectual limitations and increased suggestibility of the patient suffering from reactive psychosis. When you stop communicating with a mentally ill relative, the delusion gradually disappears.
Reactive depression
Reactive depressions are reactive psychoses that develop in circumstances of severe mental trauma (usually sudden death loved one). In the first hours after the injury, stupor and numbness occur, which are replaced by tears, remorse and guilt. Patients suffering from reactive psychosis blame themselves for not being able to prevent a tragic event and not doing everything possible to save the life of a loved one. At the same time, their thoughts are directed not to the past, but to the future. They anticipate their lonely existence, the emergence of material problems, etc.
With this form of reactive psychosis, tearfulness, persistent depression of mood and loss of appetite are observed. Patients become inactive, stoop, lie or sit in one position for a long time. Movements slow down, it seems as if patients do not have enough strength and energy to perform the simplest actions. Gradually, the mood normalizes, depression disappears, but the duration of reactive psychosis can vary greatly depending on the character of the patient and the prospects for his further existence. Besides, reactive depression can be observed in long-term unresolved traumatic situations, for example, in the case of the disappearance of a loved one.
Diagnosis and treatment of reactive psychoses
The diagnosis is made based on the medical history (presence of a traumatic event), characteristic symptoms and the relationship between symptoms and the traumatic situation. Reactive psychosis is differentiated from schizophrenia, delusional disorders, endogenous and psychogenic depression, manic-depressive psychosis, drug or alcohol intoxication and withdrawal syndrome that developed after stopping drug or alcohol use.
Patients with reactive psychosis are hospitalized in the psychiatry department. The treatment plan is drawn up individually, taking into account the characteristics of psychogeny. For agitation, tranquilizers and antipsychotics are prescribed. Antipsychotics are also used for delusional ideas, and antidepressants are used for depression. After recovery from reactive psychosis, psychotherapy is carried out aimed at working through the feelings that arose in connection with the traumatic situation, adapting to new living conditions and developing effective defense mechanisms that contribute to maintaining adequacy under stress. The prognosis is usually favorable.
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Psychosis is the collective name for a group of various mental disorders.
Psychosis is a pronounced disorder mental activity, which is accompanied by a gross contradiction mental reactions and the real situation. This is expressed by a violation of perception real world, disorganization of behavior, pathological disorders memory, perception, thinking.
Causes
Psychosis can be caused by internal or external factors. TO internal reasons relate neurological disorders, endocrine diseases that provoke the development of endogenous disease. External factors include infectious diseases (tuberculosis, influenza, syphilis, typhoid); alcohol poisoning, narcotic substances, industrial poisons; psychotrauma, stress.
Risk factors for the development of psychosis: the presence of a severe chronic or acute mental disorder (schizophrenia, depression, mania), severe infectious or somatic diseases, intoxication, trauma and degenerative changes brain. Possible influence of genetic factors.
Psychosis is manifested by various changes in behavior, thinking, and emotions, which demonstrate a person’s loss of real perception of the world.
The patient is in a depressed state, which is accompanied by hallucinations and delusional statements. Examples of hallucinations: talking to oneself, laughing for no reason, listening and falling silent. Signs of delusional behavior: the appearance of secrecy and hostility, statements of a dubious nature (persecution, self-aggrandizement, etc.).
Psychosis is diagnosed through a pathopsychic examination during an appointment with a psychiatrist. During a face-to-face appointment, the doctor observes the person’s behavior and asks him questions. different topics to assess his thought processes, sensations and feelings. To establish the true nature of the occurrence of psychosis, laboratory and hardware examinations are used.
Some symptoms of psychosis are normal in children and adolescents. For example, young children often have imaginary friends to talk to, and teenagers may suddenly begin to sleep more due to physiological changes in organism. If you suspect that your child has psychosis, describe his behavior in detail to a psychiatrist. If necessary, he will schedule an in-person appointment.
Based on their origin and causes of development, psychoses are classified into endogenous, organic, somatogenic, psychogenic (reactive and situational), intoxication, abstinence, post-abstinence.
According to the leading clinical picture, psychoses are divided into paranoid, hypochondriacal, depressive, manic, and others, as well as combinations of these forms.
According to the nature of the course, reactive and acute psychoses are distinguished.
A patient with psychosis needs hospitalization because he is not able to assess the degree of changes in his psyche, often does not control his actions and poses a danger to others and himself. People around you should call for emergency help.
Treatment begins with antipsychotic medications, which reduce hallucinations and delusions and promote clearer thinking. The selection and dosage of these drugs depend on the causes of psychosis and individual characteristics development of the nervous system.
In further stages, treatment may include cognitive behavioral therapy.
Most patients recover completely with adequate treatment and timely medical care. Otherwise, psychosis may recur repeatedly.
Without treatment, psychosis can lead to a significant decrease in a person’s quality of life, and also pose a threat to the lives of the patient himself and those around him.
Without adequate medical care, psychosis causes damage to brain functions that worsen over time.
There is evidence that cognitive behavioral therapy can reduce the likelihood of developing psychosis in patients at increased risk. They relate to her.
Childhood psychosis can develop for a variety of reasons: an acute condition can be provoked by high temperature, infectious diseases, endocrine disorders, neuroinfections, stress factors, mental trauma and hereditary predisposition. Psychosis is manifested by delusions, hallucinations, strange behavior and illogical reactions to events. Self-help is not recommended, it is necessary qualified assistance child psychiatrist.
IsraClinic consultants will be happy to answer any questions on this topic.
Psychosis is an acute condition during which a child experiences sudden changes in mood, inappropriate emotions (laughter during a sad story, for example), hallucinations, delusional thoughts and ideas. Psychosis in children, as a rule, is not an independent disease, but a manifestation of some mental or organic disorder. Whatever the cause of psychosis in children, this condition significantly affects the child’s life, reducing the quality of functioning, the formation of emotions, and the control of behavior.As a rule, a typical manifestation of psychosis in children is the presence of hallucinations and delusional thoughts. For example, a child may believe that he is a cartoon or fairy tale character, imagine that there are characters from this cartoon next to him, and show emotions in accordance with the actions of imaginary characters. The child may also express thoughts that do not correspond to reality.
Psychosis in children causes
They can be very different. Some of them have a short-term effect on the child and eliminating the cause helps to quickly restore normal functioning, while some of the reasons require long-term treatment and elaboration. Among the most common causes of psychosis in children, we highlight the following:
- Medications. Some medications can cause a psychotic state that resolves if pharmacotherapy is stopped.
- Heat. During illness, high fever can cause delirium and hallucinations in a child. After the temperature normalizes, psychosis in children quickly passes.
- Neuroinfections (meningitis, encephalitis, myelitis, etc.)
- Endocrine disorders
- Stressful situations(parental quarrels, divorce, authoritarian parenting)
- Psychotrauma (physical or mental violence)
- Hereditary causes. If one of the parents suffers from psychotic disorders, the likelihood that psychosis will be inherited by the child is very high.
Note that psychosis can manifest itself in children both in preschool and adolescence.
Diagnosis and treatment of psychosis
Very often, a diagnosis of psychosis requires examination by several specialists - a child psychiatrist, a neurologist, a clinical psychologist, and a pediatrician. Additionally, tests such as MRI, EEG, blood tests, lumbar puncture or electromyography. These tests are necessary to confirm or rule out an organic cause for psychosis in children. After establishing exact reason psychotic attacks, therapy is prescribed. If we're talking about O psychological reason, sedatives, consultations with a child psychologist, or family psychotherapy may be prescribed. In some cases, quite long sessions with a psychotherapist are required to stabilize the condition - up to six months. If we are talking about organic reason, treatment is prescribed depending on the diagnosis that caused the psychosis.
In Israel, in the psychiatric clinic “IsraClinic” it is customary to conduct comprehensive examination and treatment of children with psychotic episodes for staging accurate diagnosis and appointments as much as possible effective therapy. In addition to pharmacotherapy and psychotherapy, the clinic’s methods include art therapy, hippotherapy, hydrotherapy or sports therapy, depending on the interests and inclinations of young patients. It has been proven that such auxiliary techniques for the treatment of psychosis provide sustainable results. After treatment, the main efforts of doctors and parents are aimed at preventing psychosis, in particular, physical and mental health child and his family.
Psychoses in children respond well to treatment; the main thing is to promptly contact a specialized center with good specialists.
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The appearance of psychosis in a child foreshadows imminent health problems. Nowadays, it is a fairly common condition that affects adults and children.
If a child’s mood changes sharply, he expresses his emotions inappropriately (for example, he laughs when he should sympathize), he may be susceptible to psychosis.
The appearance of hallucinations or delusions is also considered a sign of this disease. The baby cannot distinguish his own fantasy from reality.
Psychosis is not separate disease, and a concomitant state of mental disorder. It does not pose a threat to life, but it significantly distorts it, preventing the adequate formation of emotions, making it impossible to control one’s own behavior.
The state of psychosis is a certain risk to the health of not only the firstborn, but also those around him, because it can be accompanied by aggression.
This disease is well diagnosed, which allows timely treatment to begin. In this article we will talk about the causes of psychosis, its signs, possible complications, methods of treatment and prevention.
What leads to frustration
- The disease can lead to the appearance of meningitis.
- Also, some medications can serve as a catalyst for the condition.
- Risk factors for the problem include elevated temperature, hormonal imbalance, dysfunction thyroid gland, stressful situations.
Congenital psychosis is observed in children whose parents abused alcohol before conceiving a child, during pregnancy and after. Also if dad or mom suffers from a mental disorder.
Characteristic signs of psychosis
U small child it is impossible to diagnose psychosis because he does not yet know how to talk and express his feelings. Therefore, at the age of two it is still difficult to identify the disease, but at three years the baby can already talk about his fears and emotions. However, there are some signs worth paying attention to.
Age |
Signs of psychosis |
| 2 years | The baby's character and behavior changes. Weakness appears and mood worsens, there is no smile, sleep is disturbed, and the pulse quickens. |
| 3 years | Orientation in space becomes more difficult, mood changes occur frequently, headaches and heart palpitations may appear. |
| 4 years | Groundless fears, lethargy, fatigue, and headaches appear. |
| 5 years | Passivity, lethargy, lack of initiative, alternating with increased excitability, a desire to constantly do and say something. Possible dizziness and shortness of breath. |
| 6 years | The child becomes irritable and aggressive, loves to grimace. His appetite is impaired: complete failure from food gives way to gluttony. |
| 7 years | The disease is characterized by complex phobias, the appearance of obsessive movements or tics. When talking, he can distort the interlocutor. Emotionally unstable. |
| 8 years | Coherence of thinking is disrupted, increased aggressiveness appears. The face becomes pale with a feverish blush. Lost interest in games. |
| 9 years | Causeless irritability, tendency to commit unmotivated actions. Feverishly sparkling eyes along with parched lips and a coated tongue. |
| 10 years | Violation of musculoskeletal functions, prolonged stay in the same position, accompanied by refusal to eat. The mood becomes depressive or manic, that is, pessimism alternates with causeless joy. Unstable blood pressure. |
The most obvious sign of psychosis, characteristic of any age, is hallucination, delusion. In this state, the child sees, hears or feels something that is not really there.
Possible complications in the child
The presence of psychosis seriously complicates a child's life. It leads to speech impairment, difficulty thinking, and the inability to control actions and build relationships within the framework of generally accepted social behavior. Closedness, irritability, and unsociability appear. Intellectual development suffers.
Psychosis negatively affects the health of other organs. Therefore, he needs urgent treatment.
What and how to treat the disorder
Sometimes, in order to save a child from psychosis, it is only necessary to eliminate the cause of its occurrence.
For example, stop taking certain medications, eliminate a stressful situation.
If psychosis was a concomitant reaction to some disease, then after the main the disease will pass and psychosis.
Sometimes medications are used to regulate biochemical processes. Tranquilizers are prescribed to suppress aggression.
How parents can help their child
Much depends on the parents in treatment. First of all, it is necessary to improve relationships in the family. Spend more time with the baby, caress, show love. Find something he likes (sports or creative activity). Give the opportunity for self-expression.
Childhood psychosis is a complex mental illness characterized by a distorted perception of reality, expressed in the inability to separate fantasy from fiction. The child tends to give inadequate reactions to some everyday situations, which makes it difficult for him daily life. When organizing their thinking, such children experience a breakdown; it becomes more difficult for them to control their actions, fit them into generally accepted standards, make adequate decisions and speak competently. Psychosis among children is quite rare. They are divided into early (infants, preschoolers and schoolchildren) and late stages (adolescents).
A variety of factors can be prerequisites for the onset of childhood psychosis:
- use of medications;
- heat;
- hormonal imbalances;
- meningitis;
- birth injuries;
- alcohol intoxication;
- severe stress, psychological trauma;
- congenital characteristics and malformations of the body.
When eliminating physical cause illness (stress, for example), it disappears safely. This may take some time - on average, 1-2 weeks, during which the child adapts to the conditions of real life.
Psychosis can act as an independent disease and occur separately from other diseases. This situation is typical for child health problems due to childbirth, uncontrolled medication use, and alcohol poisoning.
Children with congenital abnormalities in physical development often experience psychosis, even in early childhood.
There is an opinion that the external characteristics of a child’s behavior do not always necessarily indicate the presence of psychosis if it occurred at an early age of the child and was symptomatic. Researchers prefer to rely on data genetic nature of this phenomenon.
Symptoms
Psychosis can manifest itself in different ways, but the main signs for its definition are:
- the child has hallucinations;
- rave;
- loss of clarity of consciousness;
- difficulties in orienting in space and time;
- problems with self-perception.
When hallucinations appear, the child sees and hears something that is not really happening. He interprets events in a distorted form, the baby can utter meaningless phrases, laugh at inappropriate things, experience outbursts of causeless anger and irritation. Such children easily include themselves in the fictional world of fairy tales and other people's stories. At long term illness, it can leave an imprint on the child’s character, his social behavior and development.
Children suffering from psychosis are characterized by lethargy, lethargy, passivity, and lack of initiative. The child shows emotional stinginess and, over time, withdraws more and more into himself. Intellectual impairment may develop, and the thinking process is unfocused and meaningless.
One of the varieties of the disease is reactive psychosis, or psychogenic shock. It occurs after a child has experienced psychological trauma or severe emotional shock. Over time, the manifestations of this disease weaken, but the connection between the nature of the injury and the manifestations of psychosis remains.
Manifestations of the disease also include autism and childhood schizophrenia.
Doctors agree that the manifestation of the disease becomes more obvious after the child masters speech skills. Although in some cases, obvious behavioral disorders may indicate the presence of psychosis.
Diagnosis of psychosis in a child
Diagnosis of the disease in a child lasts several weeks and even months. During this time, the baby’s health and behavior are carefully monitored by several specialists, including a pediatrician, neurologist, ENT, orthopedist, and speech therapist. The physical and psychological behavior of the child is assessed for the entire period of examination. The ability to hear, think, and speak is tested.
If an underlying cause is identified for psychosis physical nature, task
Complications
Prolonged psychosis can make a child withdrawn, uncommunicative, irritable, i.e. Disturbances in the formation of social skills of behavior, perception of oneself as a separate person may appear, and character changes. Obsessive movements develop, sometimes children repeat the same phrases for a long time.
Childhood psychosis is fraught with disorders intellectual development child, disruptions in the processes of thinking and speech, outbursts of aggression.
Treatment
What can you do
It is important for you to build a competent relationship with a sick child. There should be consistency and confidence in their behavior. Situations of stress, quarrels and domestic conflicts should be avoided; the family environment should be favorable for the baby’s recovery.
When the physical cause of the disease is eliminated, it gradually goes away. Therefore, it is important to correctly identify the source of the disease and make efforts to eliminate it.
If deviations in a child’s behavior are detected, it is wise to seek the advice of a specialist.
What does a doctor do
For children susceptible to psychosis, constant supervision of a doctor (psychiatrist, psychologist, for example) is required. In some cases, therapeutic assistance, individual or family sessions with a psychologist, or correction of the child’s behavior may be required. For complex forms of the disease, the doctor may prescribe medications.
Prevention
The main measure to prevent childhood psychosis is to work with the reasons that caused them. It is important to avoid repeating traumatic situations. When the factor that triggers the development of psychosis is eliminated, the child gradually recovers, his behavior changes, and the disturbances weaken.
It is important to create in the family favorable climate for the harmonious development of the child, to protect him from traumatic incidents and stress. Raising children should be based on consistency, and communication with them should occur without raising the tone, harsh words and physical punishment.
Today we will talk about:
The offensive word “crazy” can be used to describe an aggressive or strange man whose behavior does not meet generally accepted norms. Did you know that animals mental illness don't they suffer? This means that all “crazy people” are generated by the social environment. Approximately 15% of the world's population today requires professional help from a psychiatrist.
Psychosis and its classification
Psychosis is understood as a severe mental disorder associated with severe mental disturbances in the form of delusions, hallucinations, and clouding of consciousness. Almost always this state is accompanied by affective (arousal-based) extreme) behavioral features. A person suffering from psychosis needs urgent psychiatric help.Psychoses are exogenous and endogenous
Exogenous mental disorders arise as a result of the influence of any environmental factors on a person. These include:- traumatic brain injuries;
- acute infectious diseases;
- intoxication of the body with drugs or alcoholic beverages;
- the specific state of the female psyche after the birth of a child;
- illnesses internal organs and systems.
- hallucinatory psychosis;
- delusional;
- hallucinatory-delusional;
- affective (good or Bad mood combined with strong excitement);
- schizoaffective (severe agitation due to schizophrenia);
- hysterical;
- alcoholic.
Main symptoms of psychosis
Regardless of the reason why this or that type of psychosis developed, all mental disorders are characterized by the following symptoms:
- Rave. This is a state when judgments and thoughts that are far from the truth seem to the patient to be true conclusions, and it is impossible to convince him of the opposite. The most common delusional disorders are psychoses based on jealousy, persecution and grandeur.
- Hallucinations. A sick imagination makes a person see, hear and feel things that don’t really exist. According to the degree of neglect, hallucinations are divided into simple and complex. Submitting to simple hallucinations, the patient sees and hears momentary episodes of distortion of reality. With complex hallucinations, the patient becomes a participant in some action, communicating with people whom only he can see. He considers this “game” to be objective reality.
- Disorders of motor activity are externally manifested by stupor (severe lethargy) or overexcitement. The patient cannot sit still for even a minute, talks a lot (most often he talks nonsense or speaks adequately, but is completely irrelevant), behaves and can surprise or frighten others with unpredictable actions.
- Mood disorders are expressed by manic-depressive perception of reality. Staying in manic state, a person experiences euphoria: a joyful mood, “Napoleonic” plans for the future, dreams that will never come true, and, as a result, inappropriate behavior. At depressed state In the soul, everything is exactly the opposite: the world is so bad - isn’t it better to voluntarily give up life? The patient’s mood changes involuntarily; external circumstances do not influence him in any way.
- Very often, even after successful treatment of psychosis, some mental functions the patient “falls out”, for example, love and a warm attitude towards family members is replaced by complete indifference. These psychonegative signs of psychosis remain with a person for the rest of his life and can become a serious obstacle for him to fully communicate with others.
Treatment of psychosis
Correction of this heavy psychological state only possible within walls medical institution. Self-indulgence on the part of the patient’s relatives is unacceptable: the patient can be dangerous both for himself and for the people who are close to him.Timeliness is the main condition for the successful outcome of treatment for psychosis. To alleviate the patient's condition, combination therapy is used using various psychotropic medications (neuroleptics and antipsychotics). The medicine is selected individually, focusing on the symptoms that are dominant in the patient’s behavior. The struggle for a person’s future without psychosis is a long one: it happens that the chosen drug does not bring the expected effect, then it is replaced with another and everything starts all over again.
Drug treatment is recognized as the most in an effective way freeing a person from psychosis. However, doctors often do not limit themselves to medications alone. Secure positive results from drug therapy Psychotherapeutic sessions and work on social rehabilitation and adaptation of the patient help well.
With adequate treatment, a significant improvement in the patient’s condition is noted within 6–8 weeks after seeking help. Correction of advanced psychosis extends over an indefinite period of time.
Psychosis: assessing the problem objectively
PoMedicine provides answers to questions that people ask most often, close person who suffer from psychosis.
Are neurosis and psychosis the same thing? Can neurosis become complicated to the point of psychosis?
These disorders are absolutely independent diseases. The basis of psychosis lies mainly biological mechanisms, while neurosis arises due to intrapersonal conflict. A neurotic disorder cannot transform into psychosis.
Is it possible to completely cure psychosis?
It all depends on what factor provoked the development of psychosis. For example, psychotic states that appeared against the background severe stress, delirium tremens, infection or severe physical illness, are completely eliminated by timely and correct medical intervention. In this case, residual signs of the disease do not persist.The situation is somewhat different with the treatment of chronic psychoses that appear on the basis of schizophrenia or bipolar affective disorder. The struggle with a mental disorder of this nature can last for years. During this time, the patient experiences moments of enlightenment (remission) and moments of exacerbation of psychosis, which alternate with each other.
Psychosis is a hereditary disease
There is an opinion that the closer the relationship, the higher the risk of encountering a mental disorder in the form of psychosis. We hasten to make an amendment: it is not the disease itself that can be inherited, but only a predisposition to it. The development of the disease itself depends on a combination of many factors. Today, science does not yet have the ability to determine the likelihood of developing psychosis if a relative suffered from it. However, if the disease affects both parents, the risk of developing it in a child is 50%, if only one has a 25% risk.Is a person suffering from psychosis dangerous to others?
Yes, it is dangerous if the disease is in acute stage: hallucinations and delusions prevent the patient from adequately perceiving and understanding reality. A person cannot control his behavior and be responsible for his actions. In such a situation, his close people should behave very carefully: do not try to argue with the patient in order to convince him of the unreality of the pictures he sees, do not ask him for details of his feelings, hide all sharp, cutting and other traumatic objects in the house. If you cannot calm the patient on your own, you need to call an ambulance.Can people with psychosis work?
Psychosis, like any other physical illness, brings some limitations to social life person. Due to a mental disorder, the patient lacks the motivation to act, so work activity is sometimes an impossible task for them. At the same time, work for such a person is a bridge connecting him to reality. Work responsibilities help the patient maintain and even restore the ability to think. In some cases, a person suffering from psychosis can return to work after undergoing comprehensive treatment.Timely and adequate medical care gives a person with a mental disorder the opportunity to live a full life: get an education, do what he loves, start a family and have children.
